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Zen center sponsors meditation retreat

An ancient Buddhist way of cultivating unconditional love for yourself and your loved ones will be taught in the "Loving Kindness Retreat" March 5 at the Palolo Zen Center.

The program of insight meditation will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2747 Waiomao Road, Palolo. The cost is $5. A Thai vegetarian lunch will be available, with donations to be collected for South Asian victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami.

The retreat is sponsored by Vipassana Hawaii, which provides weekly classes in the Theravada tradition of Buddhist meditation. For information, see vipassanaHawaii.org or call 737-5169.

U.S. role in Middle East topic of Sabeel lecture

A critical look at the United States' role in the Middle East will be the focus of a March 2 public lecture sponsored by Friends of Sabeel Hawaii.

Professor and author Stephen Zunes will discuss "The United States and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process: Help or Hindrance?" in the 7 p.m. talk at Harris United Methodist Church, 20 N. Vineyard Blvd.

Zunes is professor of politics and chairman of the Peace and Justice Program at University of San Francisco. He is the Middle East editor for Foreign Policy in Focus journal and the author of "Tinderbox: U.S. Middle East Policy and the Roots of Terrorism," published in 2003. His analysis of events in the Middle East is frequently sought by international news media.

Friends of Sabeel, supporting justice and peace for Palestinians, has chapters in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Lenten concert offers jazz on church lawn

Jazz singer Jimmy Borges will perform in a noon concert Wednesday on the Kawaiaha'o Church lawn.

The free weekly series of "Lenten Celebration and All That Jazz on the Green" combines music and a reflective narrative on the season of Lent by the Rev. Curtis Kekuna. Attendees may bring lunch to the hour-long event at 957 Punchbowl St.

Joining Borges will be Betty Loo Taylor, piano; Lee Humes, bass; Sonny Froman, drums; and Tim Tsukiyama, saxophone.

The series will continue weekly with these performers:

» March 2, singer Sydette Stanton with Taylor, Froman, Steve Jones on bass and Bill Beimes, saxophone.

» March 9, singer-guitarist Steve Loo with Taylor, Froman and Brien Matson, trombone.

» March 16, singer Clayton Nalua'i and Gabe Baltazar on saxophone, with Taylor, Humes and Froman.

» March 23, Borges and Baltazar will return with Taylor, Jones and Froman.

Christian rock show free at Manoa park

A free youth concert of Christian rock and hip-hop music will be presented next Saturday at Manoa District Park.

The "JAM: Jesus and Me" concert will feature New Anointing, JIL Worship Band and JCM Worship Band. A.I. Joel Membrere will speak at the event, which will continue from 6 to 9 p.m. at 2721 Kaaipu Ave.

Visionaries, a group of youth ministers from several churches, is sponsoring the concert, which is open to the public.